The Bakeanistas: Four Colors of Cassata

There aren't many things that'll get me out of bed early on a Sunday morning. Especially a Sunday morning after a late Saturday night watching a box office-shattering film which subsequently left me too wired to sleep.

And yet, with considerably less sleep than I'd planned, I was up & surprisingly awake that morning...with a strong Central Perk-sized mug of Irish tea...getting out eggs and flour and and pistachios & firing up Skype.

Because one of those few reasons to give up my (much-needed) beauty sleep is a scheduled viral baking session with my Bakeanista pals.

The plan: bake and decorate a Cassata; a wonderful cake filled with a chocolate & pistachio ricotta mixture, and iced and decorated...well, that part's up for discussion.



Most of the 'gang' was there, and there was much chatting and laughing and baking. Every now and again, you find a group of people you know you can truly be yourself around. These guys? Oh...if Skype had a ratings system, well; let's just say it's better they don't.

But with Lisa, Chris, Helen, Ben, Ivonne, John, Kelly, Marce, and Mary baking...and chatting...freely, you're guaranteed a fun time.

A few Bakeanistas had to skip the bake-fest, but were definitely with us in spirit (and possibly felt a burning sensation about the ears throughout the day): Sara, Tanna & Laura , you gals were missed.



The cake was to be liberally brushed with rum. Even though I was intending to give the cake to my father-in-law for his birthday, I had to change that. Even if I did drink, I just can't do rum.

So, I used a blood orange syrup which, along with the chocolate/pistachio/ricotta/orange zest filing, gave the cake a funky four-colored look.

Instead of the meringue-based frosting, I used Helen's recipe for stable-ized whipped cream, and decorated it simply with whole pistachios.

I haven't gotten a review yet, but I think it turned out pretty good. But a day spent with friends? A perfect ten.






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Tagged with: Food and Drink + Cake + Baking + Bakeanistass + Cassata + Eggs + Pistachios + Ricotta + Chocolate + Frosting